OC Qonnections

05/18/2026

The rain might have washed away the party, but we had a blast and spread joy and hope the love was contagious - we love our neighbors and believe in spreading kindness!!

Did you know our group is like a unity test: people from all walks of life including q***r individuals, allies, and like-minded folks are all invited to join our celebrations!

05/17/2026

May 17th

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT).

At Inclusion Failsworth, we stand alongside LGBTQ+ individuals, families, parents, carers, and communities in recognising the importance of challenging discrimination, prejudice, and violence wherever it exists.

While progress has been made, there is still more work to do to ensure every LGBTQ+ person feels safe, valued, respected, and free to live as their authentic self.

Together, we continue to promote inclusion, equality, and acceptance for all.

05/17/2026

Today is the International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination! 🌈

Why May 17? It was on this day in 1990 that homosexuality was removed from the WHO Classification of Diseases - a historic step towards inclusion. Three decades later, despite how far we’ve come, the LGBTQIA+ community unfortunately still faces discrimination.

Days like today offer all of us the opportunity to visibly stand against discrimination. LGBTQIA+ community and allies alike, today we take action to make the world more inclusive.

This year, we couldn’t be prouder of the massive wave of allyship, pride, and visibility we’ve seen across workplaces, schools, and communities.

To every single person who’s gone rainbow: you have sent SUCH a vital message of hope, support, and safety to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Whether you wore a rainbow ribbon, started a conversation, hosted a fundraiser, shared IDAHOBIT online, or hung up a poster, thank you. Each action contributes to building a more inclusive future.

Thank you for showing up proudly with us!

05/17/2026

International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia!

Known as IDAHOBIT for short, the 17th of May was chosen as it commemorates the date of the decision to remove homosexuality from classification as a mental illness by the World Health Organisation in 1990. The main purpose of IDAHOBIT is to raise awareness of ongoing discrimination, violence and persecution of LGBT+ people across the world.

Research by Stonewall, the national LGBT+ charity found that one in five LGBT+ people have experienced a hate crime because of their sexual orientation in the past year and over half of trans people have been subjected to a hate crime due to their gender identity.

Around a quarter of LGBT+ people avoid some streets due to safety concerns and 13 per cent have been discriminated against in a bar, restaurant or club venue. Trans people in particular still experience appalling levels of abuse on social media and are on the receiving end of misinformation and direct attacks from TV and print media.

These are just a few reasons why our Pride Marches and Festival's are so important.

05/17/2026

05/17/2026

Being Straight was My Phase ⚡🌙
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Illustration of a brown person with long purple hair. They have brown skin and freckles. They are holding a peace sign and the words, ‘being straight was a phase’ are in their hair. Around their head are the phases of the moon in a rainbow of color.

05/16/2026

Chalk Maples Park for Mental Health

05/14/2026

Kitty & Unicorn

05/14/2026

One of the things about being an ally and advocate is realizing there is always more to learn.

Recently, we've been learning more about concepts like gender dysphoria, gender euphoria, and something called transmedicalism.

For a long time, many people believed that a person had to experience intense suffering or distress (gender dysphoria) in order to be “really” transgender.

That idea is often connected to something called transmedicalism — the belief that being trans must be defined primarily by dysphoria, medical diagnosis, or a desire to medically transition.

But transgender and nonbinary people have challenged the ideas behind transmedicalism.

And as allies and advocates, we do too. (***see SPECIAL NOTE)

Because not every trans person’s story begins with pain.

Sometimes it begins with relief.

With recognition.

With joy.

With finally feeling at home in yourself.

That’s where the idea of gender euphoria comes in.

Gender euphoria is the happiness, peace, comfort, or sense of rightness someone may feel when their gender is affirmed — through a name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, community, or simply being seen for who they truly are.

And one thing we recently heard someone say was:

“Gender euphoria can’t exist without gender dysphoria.”

But the more we learn, the more we understand that human beings are more complex than that.

Some people understand themselves through pain. Others understand themselves through joy.

Some realize something was wrong. Others realize something finally feels right.

And that distinction matters.

Because sometimes parents, teachers and even doctors only pay attention when a child is hurting badly enough.

But joy is information too.

Relief is information too.

Peace is information too.

When someone lights up after hearing the right pronouns… When they smile more freely… When they seem more grounded, more confident, more alive…

That matters.

Because a person should not have to prove their suffering before we honor their joy.

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Good allies always keep learning.

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***SPECIAL NOTE: We want to make it very clear — we do NOT endorse transmedicalism.

It's harmful — mot only does it create exclusionary gatekeeping and fosters ideas that exclude non-binary people and those who experience gender euphoria rather than intense distress, but by questioning the validity of individuals, it can also increase shame, anxiety, and su***de risks, particularly for those who do not fit a medicalized, binary mold.